Hey all! For the last few years the lovely @lnum has hosted this thread to help us stay motivated on our no-buys and low-buys. In an effort to keep her work alive, here is the 2018 edition.

The purpose of this thread (from lnum):

This thread is a support system for all of us who are trying to maintain a budget and keep our beauty spending limited. Post here when you have a weak moment, post here to hold yourself accountable, post here when you just need someone to talk to, post here when you have advice for all of us, and post here when you make mistakes but also make gains! Many of us post here to keep track of our monthly purchases. Anything you need to say, we are all here for each other. There's no judgement here.

Feel free to share your goals, items that tempt you, missteps (we don't believe in failures), and any successes. Above all else, encourage and support one another.

My motto for this thread is that I strongly believe, even on a budget, you can have the things you want that make you happy without feeling like you're limiting yourself.

This thread is a support system for all of us who are trying to maintain a budget and keep our beauty spending limited. Post here when you have a weak moment, post here to hold yourself accountable, post here when you just need someone to talk to, post here when you have advice for all of us, and post here when you make mistakes but also make gains! Many of us post here to keep track of our monthly purchases. Anything you need to say, we are all here for each other. There's no judgement here.

I am so excited to spend another year with you all. If it wasn't for the first two years of this thread, I would never have been able to cut down my beauty spending. My goal for this year is to maintain low spending on beauty, and cut down my clothing purchases. I will be funneling that money into traveling, which is what I have done in the past and it's a great goal that truly motivates me.

I'm still so proud of everyone for making it through 2015 and 2016, limiting ourselves in the beauty product area in order to improve our lives in other areas. We all did great and here's to another year of learning and saving!

lnum wrote:Welcome to Year 3! My motto for this thread is that I strongly believe, even on a budget, you can have the things you want that make you happy without feeling like you're limiting yourself. This thread is a support system for all of us who are trying to maintain a budget and keep our beauty spending limited. Post here when you have a weak moment, post here to hold yourself accountable, post here when you just need someone to talk to, post here when you have advice for all of us, and post here when you make mistakes but also make gains! Many of us post here to keep track of our monthly purchases. Anything you need to say, we are all here for each other. There's no judgement here. I am so excited to spend another year with you all. If it wasn't for the first two years of this thread, I would never have been able to cut down my beauty spending. My goal for this year is to maintain low spending on beauty, and cut down my clothing purchases. I will be funneling that money into traveling, which is what I have done in the past and it's a great goal that truly motivates me. I'm still so proud of everyone for making it through 2015 and 2016, limiting ourselves in the beauty product area in order to improve our lives in other areas. We all did great and here's to another year of learning and saving!Here is a link to the 2015 thread: http://community.sephora.com/t5/VIB-ROUGE/2015-The-No-Buy-Low-Buy-Budget-Buy-Accountability-and-Supp... 2016 thread: http://community.sephora.com/t5/VIB/2016-The-NO-BUY-LOW-BUY-BUDGET-BUY-ACCOUNTABILITY-AND-SUPPORT/td-p/2324176 2017 thread: https://community.sephora.com/t5/VIB/2017-THE-NO-BUY-LOW-BUY-BUDGET-BUY-ACCOUNTABILITY-AND-SUPPORT/m-p/2651972

Interested in Some Challenges to Help You Use Your Stash? Check Out These Threads:

**are you participating in a challenge that I failed to mention? if so please let me know I can link it here**

Pan It! 2018 Challenge: https://community.sephora.com/t5/Beauty-Confidential/Pan-It-2018-Challenge/m-p/3604337#M317498Use Your Foil Samples Challenge: https://community.sephora.com/t5/Beauty-Confidential/Use-Your-Foil-Samples-Challenge-January-2018/m-p/3620836#M318019The Perfume Challenge: https://community.sephora.com/t5/Perfume-Posse/The-Perfume-Challenge/m-p/2633976#M18939Mask of the Week Challenge: https://community.sephora.com/t5/Skincare-Aware/Mask-of-the-Week-Challenge/m-p/3615125#M44343**are you participating in a challenge that I failed to mention? if so please let me know I can link it here**

Skincare low-buy, plan to just get replacements as needed but could try a few new things

Hair low-buy, since I am trying to figure out how wavy hair works. It seriously sucks not knowing to do your hair as an adult. I just have to accept I'm not a curly girl anymore and learn how to ride the waves. Currently I have a few products to test so we will see what I need as I use things up.

As far as accountability, I am a goal oriented person so that should keep me motivated. I've also made a beauty spreadsheet and it has helped keep me logical about how much I use/need of certain products.

@ShortErica I'm riding the wavy train right there with you! Currently testing out some DevaCurl products, as they have mini kits on their site right now for $20, plus four deluxe samples of their treatments/masks with your first purchase. Otherwise I'm trying to stick to a low-buy, too.

I tried the low-poo, one condition, and arc angel gel in the Spring. My hair felt like straw and was not curly. And trust me, I waited since there is supposedly the "grace period" when you start the method.

In October I chopped off a bunch of hair to donate/reduce the weight. The stylist recommended the no-poo, one condition, coconut styling cream, and the b-leave in gel. It's okay. I feel like my ends aren't staying together. At this point I just don't think the Devacut is right for me because my hair doesn't curl/wave the same every day so doing a cut piece by piece when it changes doesn't seem logical to me. The products are okay. I didn't have a problem with one condition, I just wasn't wowed the first time. I figured my issue was either the low-poo or the gel. I'm pausing using the styling cream and b-leave in to try the gel while using the no-poo and one condition. We will see how it goes.

Which products have you had luck with @tastelikewater? I do think the build-up buster has helped bring a bit of curl back (thanks Ulta 21 Days!) but it's a process to figure it out.

@ShortErica I agree, it's a horrible process! I never got a Deva cut because my hair also looks different every day, but I do see a "curly expert" stylist here in Chicago.

I'm on the fence so far about these products, though it's only been a few days. I bought the Wavy Mini Care Kit, which includes the Low-Poo Delight, One Condition Delight, Wave Maker Whip, and Volumizing Foam. I love that I'm getting more curl definition, and my hair looks better for longer (I normally wash every other day because my roots feel greasy quickly, but not so at the moment). On the downside, I'm wondering if the high glycerin content in the shampoo and conditioner is drying out my hair. I'd be interested in trying the styling products with a different s&c to see if there's a difference. I also think I need a gel in my life, because my hair is fine and I need something to anchor the curl without weighing it down...does that make any sense?

Of the four deluxe samples I received - giant foil packets of Deep Sea Repair, Melt Into Moisture, Wash Day Wonder, and Buildup Buster - I've only tried the Buildup Buster and I think I love it. I was pleasantly surprised at how soft it made my hair. So far, I'm glad I only shelled out $20 to try the mini kit, before spending $$$ on full-size products that might not work for me.

Devacurl actually and to BIC a couple of times @ShortErica. They did offer free advice that I found very helpful. Did you get a Devacut by a Devacurl stylist? It did take me awhile to find which Devacurl products work for my thick wavy/swavy hair. Unfortunately there is a learning curve with the Devacurl products but if you invest the time you may be happy with the results.

Though it's super old but I was used to styling curly hair for so many years. Now with just waves it's hard to spend so much on products and not get curls. I'm going to give the Deva products a chance until they run out. I have no-poo, low-poo, one condition, one condition delight, arc angel gel, coconut styling cream, b-leave in gel, and build-up buster. So hopefully some of these products will work for my hair.

Though it's super old but I was used to styling curly hair for so many years. Now with just waves it's hard to spend so much on products and not get curls. I'm going to give the Deva products a chance until they run out. I have no-poo, low-poo, one condition, one condition delight, arc angel gel, coconut styling cream, b-leave in gel, and build-up buster. So hopefully some of these products will work for my hair.

Thanks so much! I'm also irked because I've always worn my hair curly. I don't know what has happened along the way that changed everything. My guess is age and hormones and I don't know that those can be reversed.

I have the Curly Girl book that was authored by Lorraine Massey. (She is the founder of Devachaun) Low Poo Shampoo and Conditioner are meant for wavy haired girls @ShortErica. I am not sure what type of curls that you have but I would have recommended the Decadence line from Devacurl. I tried the Decadence line when Devacurl first released it and it definitely was too heavy for my wavy/swavy hair.

i start with Wash Day Wonder (my hair is thick and gets tangled easily). Wash Day Wonder melts my tangles. I then do two washes using No Poo followed by the One Condition. I do leave in some of the One Conditioner. The important piece that my Devacurl stylist taught me was that you must hear is a squeak like sound when you scrunch your curls. I then use the Devacurl Volumizing Foam (reminds me of hair mousse) on my roots only. Now for the most helpful Devacurl product in my opinion, Wavemaker or it has been sold as Whip It Good. I scrunch this mid hair to my ends followed by Devacurl Ulta Styling Gel. Now for the most important piece do not touch your hair until fully dry. Then scrunch from underneath to break the cast and I only need to wash my hair once a week in cooler weather.

Thanks for being so thorough! Before I would classify it as a 3B. My hair is currently 2B/2C. You just reminded me I received samples of Decadence when I made my last Sephora purchase.

I had a bad experience with the combination of low-poo, one condition, and arc angel gel in the spring. I am using no poo, one condition and now incorporating arc angel to see if that or low-poo was the culprit. I had tried coconut styling cream and b-leave in as my styling products and it was okay. I want to get my wave/curl more defined so I'm hoping the gel will do it. I may have to try wave maker.

@ShortErica I thought your curl type was 3b. So I guess that we have very similar hair types but is your hair thick? I find the combination of products that I mentioned do work for my 2b/2c curl. Devacurl classifies it as wavy/swavy.

BTW a former coworker with curly hair met Lorraine Massey . She told her that she uses Oiudad products and her response was we don’t!

Skip the Arc Angel Styling Gel @ShortErica. It is probably weighing down your curls/waves. Arc Angel is offers the most hold of all of their styling gels. Being your hair is not thick you may want to try Devacurl Light Defining Gel. Another product that I like to use is the Curlmaker. If you have a section of hair that you are not happy with the curl pattern spray it on and scrunch for good curl definition.

I am only on day 2 and agree it probably is weighing down my hair. But I'm trying to experiment if this or the low-poo was making my hair have an almost straw-like texture when I used them last spring. I figure I will give it a go for a week and assuming it isn't helping my hair, pass it on to my mom who has curly, almost kinky hair. I'll have to look into those other products. Thank again @Loretta55

@infinitebrevity I do better when I write them down. Sometimes it's here, when it's a longer list (use up xyz, restock a, only buy no more than 2 of b) I use the Google Keep app on my phone to make a list.

My current goals are to track all my empties (I sort into loves/likes/meh and take a photo, then log in a spreadsheet later when I feel like it)... I've been doing that since January. Now I'm ready to go on a long no-buy, but I had to work up to that.

As far as accountability goes, posting my goals somewhere public (here or IG) helps, but mostly I just have to stay away from trouble, so to speak. I don't go to stores like TJMaxx or Sephora/Ulta/Sally "just to look", I've unsubscribed from most email lists, sometimes I uninstall the Sephora app on my phone. I don't find anything positive about randomly stress-testing my willpower, so the more I can remove potential temptation altogether, the better. Looking at haul threads here doesn't make me want to shop, but a lot of people avoid those too for the same reasons.

I don't do well with the "only buy 1 splurge item", "spending limit of no more than $50" types of goals. I can go replacements-only, but otherwise I'm personally better off with all-or-nothing goals so ymmv.

@fieldsofclover I love your comment about not stress test...

@fieldsofclover I love your comment about not stress testing. I think I might stay with a week at a time. so far I've gone 1 week without buying anything in Sephora but only 3 days of not buying any makeup

So I'm on a no-buy for makeup but I will be buying skincare and hair products. I don't want to go overboard though I haven't made my rules yet. But the one item I keep thinking of splurging on is the Foreo Luna Mini 2. Their website currently has it 25% off and I'm thinking of telling my husband to get it for me for Christmas. Any opinions? Worth the splurge, pass it over, etc.? Thanks for your help!